Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-13
INTER STATE COMMERCE.
Letters OF Senator James p. wilson of Iowa
10 the Fairfield Ledger,
LETTER NO. VI.
FAIRFIELD. IOWA.

]
&c the Fairfield Ledger
LETTER NO. VI.
FAIRFIELD, IOWA May "A, lSs7.
Editors ledger: a prominent railroad
manager recently put TO me this question
suppose q shipper should apply to me
for transportation OF twenty-five car.
loads of freight, and at The same time
another should apply for the trsnsDorte-
ton Of one carload, would rot the cir
cumstances and conditions Of these Two
cases be so different that | might give g
lover rate 10 the former tnan 10 the
lstler!''
TIE question seemed so absurd 10 me,
both ID view Of the provision Of the inter
state commerce law having relation TO
tee subject press nted, and Of the general
principle involved, that l could rot give
the ErOpounGer Of the query credit tor
sincerity, and frankly tod him so.
The second section Of the Interstate
commerce law is The one definitely bear
ing CT this question, and reads as fol-
lows, W;
Sec. q That if auT common carrier
subject TO the provisions OF this act shall,
directly or Indirectly, by aty special rate,
l'.+hLN VI sfTf'tAONy "a ~tLlSA LII
. demlLds eolleCt, or receive from env per
son OF persons 3 greater or less cOmpen-
satiUn for aGy service rendered, or 20 be
rendered, IN the transportation Of pes
I senEcIs or property, subject TO the pro
visions q this &C than 1t charges, de-
Mauds, collects, or receives from any
vthur person OF persons for doing him or
/ them like ara ccute IL DOraneous service
I =r- al. ,s st E-r- -
4 tsGiic under substantially similar CirCum-
stances and conditions, such common
ClTIIeT shEl. be deemed guilty OF unjust
discrimination, which IS hereby prOllb-
lied and declared 10 be unlawful
I Now, as explained, IN one Of my for
Eer letters, lliS is nothing more or less
tLGL dcduile statutory formulation Ct
4 -le general doctrine of the common law
relative 10 tn duties and obligations Ci
/ common carriers. And the persistent
violation OF the principle Involved by she
( railrrsI companies was the most fOrCeful
/ isct Inducing the enactment OF the
inter .2se commerce .aW. 1t was The
conn IN practice q. the railroad man
a-cl. u l5vor the great cities aud ceuters
lL 10 and commerce. Ard they aa
UGif--m.y extended advantages % ship
4 nyTs o. large quantities q freight. This
tended t. C9nlra.z4 everything in tie
great cities, 3ud crushed Out tha enter
prise5 ot mC1 Of small means. The great
ciIas grew and pcrGd, ard the towns
aGC villages lEnGuisEel. Chicago ruled
( lhs business of Iowa with 9 rod Of iron.
/ The men md firms II large capita, and
g,gU- JUa mess prGSDCTed 10y reason Of the
isvors granted TO Illm, and the giving OF
#EicL crushed The men OF small means.
I was the rule OF the big cry over the
county town aud country village, l. was
I Ii. tyranny Ci iaI-C capital over -mGN
l-2as. When !svors we're granted they
( went 81 tle places and persons last in
G4ed Of rem. 81 o. these practices
+ W. re In violation # the doctrines OF the
. Law relative to common carriers. They
became so oppressive t1Et the people sud
Interests iuilr!Jus!V a-eCted demanded
tTelei in response 10 this demand the
Interstate commerce law was enacted
aIo, as / nave remarked in former let
Cer>, IL the beginning thus made snail not
. Prove effective, amendments viii DC MADE
/ as experience msy discover dsfeCts.
I,may be taEeu for granted that the
1 dEys OF oppressive favUr.tism have been
numbered, ard II IN y as well be under
stood that when g rate per carload Of
/ freight Is established il must be applied
/ to al persons alike, whether one be ship
/ ping fifty carloads per week, another ten
and still another but one, The men who
axe 81 the bottom OF the business ladder
wust have al equsl CHARGE 10 climb tC
/ the tCp, and the same rule mast De 8p-
/ pied to whatever system Of rates the
railroad companies may adopt. The rule
! u equal rights must be enforced. The
little men, so 10 speak, must have g
chance to stand alongside at the big ones
so fer as transportation charges are con-
cGrntd.
/ And the same principle must be applied
10 cities, towns AMI villages. I hope that
every Iowa community may prosper. But
/ let each one take its chances with 81
Others under the rule Of equal rights in
the matter Cf transportation. Ii Citi-
zen desires 10 engage in manufacturing
/ or other business u g country village
/ because he may not have capital sufi
Gent to enable him TO make his venture
IN one Of our cities, let not djsCrimina-
/ ton in transportation rates be the reason
why he cannot follow his purpose. AND
/ let the same rule be applied TO the far.
/ mer. If he desires TO send his castle,
] hogs or grain 10 market on his own sc.
count lei not discriminating rates against
/ HIM and IN favor OF dealers deter HIN
I hCm conducting his own business. In
short, let equal rights in all matters Of
/ transportation races be assured to and
enjoyed by al Of our Iowa cities, towns
villages, firms, companies, individuals
industries and employmeRts. This Is thl
true public policy. Il VIII give each anC
all fair and equal chance, and the pres
. EN- struggle fCT reform in the bad meth
( obs which have too long prevailed shoulC
not sJop until the end Indicated shall layC
! been cached. JAMES Z, WILSON.